As a stye heals, it will drain on its own with no intervention required. So how do you get rid of a stye naturally? There are quite a few very simple and inexpensive ways to get rid of a stye using home remedies.
1. Warm Compress
If left to its own devices, a stye usually heals and drains on its own. But, if you want to encourage the likelihood of quicker drainage and healing, then you can use a warm compress. Take a clean piece of cloth (like a washcloth) and wet it with warm water. Wring it out so it’s not dripping wet and then simply place it over the eye with the stye. You can do this several times a day for 10 to 15 minutes at a time. With each warm compress session, you can re-wet the washcloth to keep the warmth factor up, but just make sure never to put a hot washcloth on the eye. The wet warmth of the compress will encourage drainage and speed up the healing process.
2. Skip Contact Lenses or Makeup
While you’re self-treating a stye and patiently waiting for it to go away, it’s best to avoid wearing contacts or eye makeup until the stye has healed. I know it may be annoying to wear glasses if you’re used to your contact lenses, but these lenses can be contaminated with bacteria that causes a stye. It’s a smart idea to put in a brand new pair of contacts once your stye is all gone. It’s also wise to replace eye makeup, especially mascara, after six months or less since bacteria can grow in makeup. In general, you should also never go to sleep with eye makeup (or any makeup) still on for the sake of optimal eye health.
3. Proper Eyelid Care + Coriander Seeds
It’s important to keep the eyelids clean to both treat and prevent a stye since bacteria causes a stye. It’s recommended to gently wash your eyelid with a mild soap and warm (not hot) water. You also want to avoid rubbing your eyes, especially if your hands aren’t clean, if you have a stye or want to make an effort not to get one. Some sources also recommend using coriander seeds to make a tea-like liquid and then use this coriander liquid (once it has cooled down) to cleanse the eye. Coriander has antibacterial properties, so it makes sense that it could be helpful to a stye.
4. Black or Green Tea
Similar to remedy #1 (a warm compress), you can also use a warm teabag on a stye. What kind of teabag? Typically a black tea bag is recommended because black tea is excellent at decreasing inflammation and it also has natural antibacterial abilities. A teabag of green tea is a good choice as well.
So after you have your morning cup of tea, you can simply place that teabag on the stye. If you’re not a tea drinker then you can make a cup of black tea using boiling water, let it steep and then remove the tea bag. Once the teabag has cooled down, place it on your closed eyelid that has the stye. Similar to the warm compress, make sure the teabag is moist, but not dripping wet. Let the teabag rest over the area of your eye where you have the stye for about five to 10 minutes. Throw the teabag out after each use.
5. Cucumbers or Potatoes
When you have a stye, putting something cool and refreshing on your eyelids can really make the stye less bothersome. Cold cucumber slices are perfect for providing cool moisture that help decrease inflammation and irritation. Simply slice a cucumber that has been in the refrigerator and put a slice on the problem eye for ten minutes or so. If you don’t have a cucumber, a slice of potato can work well too.
